PURPOSE OF EMPIRE

Evening Post, Issue 11, 13 July 1936, Page 9

PURPOSE OF EMPIRE

THE PURSUIT OF PEACE

A. dinner in honour of the visiting ilegates to the annual conference of .he Empire Press Union was given at the Hotel Victoria recently (says "The Times"). Major Astor, M.P., presided. Lord Swinton, Secretary of Sate for Air, proposed the 'toast "The Press of the Empire." He said that to everybody outside it the complexity and unity of the British Empire was a mystery. But if they could not understand it, most foreigners had learn-ed-to believe it. If it was difficult to define what the Empire was it was not difficult to define its purpose. The purpose of every part of the Empire was the .single-minded pursuit- of peace. Because the British Empire .stood for freedom, democracy, personal right, and personal duty it was tremendously.important that they should keep in tune with the thought or the time and the great value of that gathering of the Press was that res object was to link one part of the Empire securely to another. Referring to the problem of defence, Lord Swinton said there was justification for the use of the word defence. _ No force of any territory of' the Empire by sea or land or air would ever be used for any purpose except defence, and every country in the world knew it. It would be a force that made for peace. It was in that spirit that we were extending the Air Force, and the Dominions were cooperating with us by expanding their own air fleets and by sending pilots to serve in the Air Force in the home country. In civil aviation he hoped the Empire was going to be as closely linked by the development of quicker services and a complete air mail going ultimately to the whole Empire. Lieutenant-Colonel J. H. Woods, chairman of the Canadian section of the Union, replied to the toast. He said that the Empire had reached its present position by extending liberty to everyone with whom it came in contact. The Statute of Westminster gave them freedom, but it was freedom which they could not use unless they all used it together. Mr. S. M. Bruce proposed the toast of the chairman.

Major Astor, in response, said newspaper business did not end with newsgetting and news-giving. There was the greater responsibility of helping to form Empire opinion. Their union had no Imperial policy in a political sense. It comprised newspapers of divergent views and news, but they all shared one creed, and in at was faith in freedom of speech in the fullest exchange of news and views and in straight dealing. Those things had become rare In the world, but they were precious to us.

The international cabin news appearing in tins Issue Is published by arrangement with thy Australian Press Association and tho "Sun," • Herald,", ffews Office, Limited.